Hiring plans unable to meet businesses’ growth mindset
UK employers report hiring plans have stalled going into the New Year, with stagnant hiring plans reported for Q1 (January – March) 2025, according to the latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey. Unchanged since last quarter, the UK Net Employment Outlook – a measure of business hiring confidence – remains at +28%.
More than a third of businesses report an appetite to hire for growth – a figure that remained consistent across 2024. However, employers’ growth mindset has failed to translate into action. Organisations who were cautiously optimistic about the new Government have not yet been given the reassurance they need to go ahead with plans to make new appointments.
See below the full Q1 2025 MEOS report, featuring detailed insights on employer hiring appetite by industry, region and company size:
